Combined settler and hydraulic classifier.



C. DE KALB.

7 comamzo SETTLER AND HYDRAULIC CLASSIFIER.

1 APPLICATION HLED APR. 9. 1914- 1,177,849, k Patented Apr. 4,1916. V 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

"whom tinny concern Q I Alb known that I, (.OURTEXAX DE KALB, cit zen of, the-'Ihnted States, residing at I iaona, haveinvented certain new and Improvements in Combined Settlers hydraulic Classifiers, of which-the fol- (iwlnafiis aspecificatioii. v

icles of ahy solid matter or substan'ce nmwater or; other fluid holding said partling such particles in a smaller volume ct of myfinvention being the provision n apparatus peculiarly adapted to, the tment'of the .pulp oficrushed ores, clays, emicaliprecipitates and the like. 1 A further object" of my invention is to ovide a separating tank or d-e-waterer ependent in its operation upon the rapid s of a fiuidwhich is flowing radially consequently constantly diminished.

Another object of my invention is to rein er the separation, upon the above principle, f solid matter from the suspending fluid "rapid and complete by theiprovision ofieddies, cross currents, convection et;-up,' would nterfere with the. efficacious d complete separation of the solid matter nch I have in mind is the provision of 'pparatus for separating and sorting-the l d-particles from ore pulps andthe like nto varying'gradcs of fineness or of varying adesof relative mass, and which will be fiective for one use asv the other.

.. These. i=bjects, together with various miro "objects, \"ll clearly brought out in following lescription of the apparatus hichxmore, fully sets forth my invention, n he. drawings which illustrate its propplication.-

In the drawingsz-Fi-gure 1 is a central rertical sectional view of the settling tank rfl de-waterer fori' 'iing my invention. showits use in separating suspended particles cson, in. tlieHcounty of Pima and; State,

I invention 'rel-ates'toa new and imed apparatus for separating suspended leg in suspension andjfor, collecting and reslrwate rpoi'other fluid, the primary eicrease in carrying; power of'a- 'g1ven vol-,1

rein its source and'the velocity of which structure whieh will prevent the forma'- exits and all other inducedcurrents or ations in the collecting fluid which, if

m; the pulp. And a. still ,further object e edembodiment, and inthe clain'is which I re attached to and form a 'part of this om a fluid; Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the ooMBmnD snr'rflnn AND HYDRAULIC cLAssIrmR.

' 7 Specification of Letters iatent. Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application filed Ap ril 9, 1914. serial No. 830,835.

in Fig. 1, but illustrating the use of the ap mratus as a hydraulic classifier;,Fig. 4

1s a fragmentary sectional view similar to PATENT OFFICE;-

' COURTENAY DE KALBVOF Tucson, ARIZONA.

that shown in'Figs. 1 and 3, showing a slightly modified form of construction.

Corresponding and like parts are referred .--t in the following description and-indicated in all the views of the drawings by the sam reference characters. The apparatus constituting my lnvention primarily includes a settling tank open atits upper end and surrounded by a launder, a centrally positioned pulp supply pipedischarging upon a feed sole or deflector plate mounted slightly below the level of the'top ofthetank and a plurality of battle walls concentrically arranged about the sole with theiri upper ends on a level with the lip of the sole, the function of these bafiietwjallsbeing to prevent the formation of currents in' the fluid contained in the tank. The tank 10', which may be made in any suitable size, is supported upon legs 11 This tank is formed of sheet metal, wood,waterproof wood'pulp or other material suited totheuse to which the apparatus is to be "put and is preferably circular in horizontal This tank is open at 'its upper end and closed at its lower end by a "bottom. 12 usually provided centrally with a downwarclly directed, preferably funnel-shaped extension 13, forming an accumulator 14 in which the separated matter settles, En-

circling the upper portion of this tank and section, although it may be elliptical, polyg v onal, square or' tr1angnla1 1f, for any reason, such a shape is deemed advisable.

I are a plurality of walls 17 'i are p 'eferablt equally spaced from each other, the annular walls forming these bafile members being inclined inwardly and down wardly at a common angle tothc axis of the tank. The outermost. of these walls or bathe members is secured along its upper edge to the top edged the tank in such a way as to prevent the passage of fluid between the two and each successive wall is instances, the

walls or bathe supported by'brackets 18 extendin between it and the next adjacent outer wal sole distinction between the construction illustrated in Fig. l and that illustrated in Fig. 4, resides-in the construction of these members, that distinction may clear at this point. In both upper ends 'ofall the-baffle members, save the outermost, terminate in a common plane parallel toand slightly below the plane of, the top of the tank, while the outer battle member, in each case, terminates at the top of the tank to which it is attached. As clearly shown in Fig; 1, the lower ends of the. bafii vention, of th other insuch a manner that the lower edges of said members 'form a series of circles plotting either a. geometric right cylinder or a frustum of a cone, the axis of which coincides with the axis of the tank. On the well be made terminate in planespa'rallel to that other hand, the bailie members 17, as shown of my invention, it will feed sole or deflectonplate, here designated todischargepulp fed to radially and upwardly throughout its'entire' circumference.

' charge terminaldirected -pos1tioned in slightly spaced relation above pulp thereto. Hydraulic in Fig. l, all terminate at their lower ends in a common plane parallel to the plane of their upper ends. As primarily noted, the function 'of these hafile members 17 and 17'' is to prevent the settingup of undesirable currents in the fluid contained in thetank and either form is equally as effective for thispurpose when, the apparatus is used as a de-waterer or settler; The form shown in Fig. 1 is whenthe apparatus is used as a hydraulic classifier as will be laterexplained and'\ for that reason I greatly prefer, this form; Returning now to the general description be noted that the by the numeral '19, 15 supported centrally within the innermost of the baflle members by brackets 20 in such amanner that its upper face is on a level with of said baflle member. circular inplan, and its upper face is provided with an annular channel 'arcuate in section as shown at 21, or otherwise shaped, its central portion A pulp supply pipe 22-, provided with any suitable cut-ofl' valve 23, has its vertical disdownwardly and to supplythe water may be suppliedjto the tank through a water supply pipe 24 leading into the tank near its upper end and having a cut-oifvalve 25, while all the center of this feed sole fluid discharged into the launder maybe conducted away by'a pipe26 leading from the,

bottom thereof.

Although the above described parts are all that are essential to -the effective opere members, in that form of my ine upper ends but spaced from each:

however, far superiorto that shown L in Flg. 4

the upper'end This feed soleis,

cumulator 14, as shown,.the flow of water through this pipe being governed by a valve 28. y this means,

the solid matter gathered in the accumulator may be flushed out through apipe 29 leading from the bottom 'of the accumulator It must be noted however, that these latter parts are considered as an accessory and not as essential to the successful and effective operation of the device andare merely indicated as one mechanical means for discharging the accumulate sult may be readily accomplished'by any one of a number known methods. v

Anyone skilled in the use of separators andhydraulic classifiers will readily underand having a valve 30.

d solidmatter as this reof convenient and well stand the operation of my lmproved apparatus either and but little description" of its employment for either purpose is therefore neces sary. )Vhen used as a separator, the valves '28 and 30 as a separator or a classifier are closed and the tank filled with water byopening thevalve 25, this valve being again elosedjas soon filled. The valve 23 is then mit the uniform feeding of the proper Qamount of ore, clay or other pulp to be treated, to the feed sole fromwhich it is Y deflected in all of the waterv in the tank. radial velocity of a fluid The outward distributed and flowing in this manner decreases in propor directions over the surface I tion to thedistance from its source of supply and as the carrying power of the fluid variesap'proximately as the fifth power of its velocity it will be apparent that a slight decrease in velocity will cause any solid particles to be rapidly precipitated out of the fluid. Such an operation in an-ordinary tank is ineffective, however, due to the setting up ofleddies,

cross currents and the like in thefjwater contained'in the tank- -which prevent the settling of the solid par-.

ticles and cause th m to pass out with the water flowing over he t0p, of the tank to a the launden "With my apparatus,however,1

ihe solid matter, which from the fluid'of the pulp has but a very shortdistancetofallbefore it,reaches the inclined inner faces of the. baflie members where it is the: tank as it sinks, this water rising through the. central colum'n between the lower endsof' the baflie v t, cnnrent is produced by the sinkingot the solid matter and by that alone, it does not, have the power to lift the solid matter when separated; I

tends to settle,

1129. v adequately pro-f tected'from'all currents.lhe'solid'matter,:; H C

upon reachingthe baffle walls, slides or rolls down the walls displacing fresh water in fore protected from being carried upward amfl intothe outward IClI CUlELtlOIL of. the

superficial currenti By; this means practically all of the solid matter contained in the pulpfmay be, separated out, the liquid.

from which it has been'removed overflowing into the launder. The solid matter settles 1 flushing or ,by any other suitable means The operation of the apparatus as a hydraulic classifier is similar to the above the valve is kept open to supply suf- .ficient freshwaterfor the necessary overpressure, commonly known as hydraulic water.- -The "hpw'ard [current of this hydraulic water lifts the lighter particles and carries them over into the launder, the weight, of thegparticles so removed being regulated by the rate of flow of hydraulic waterintathe-tankl Upon filling thetank, air is compressed between the upper portions of the tank and outermost baflle mem- 25 ber and this compressed air serves as a cushion to equalizeany' slight variations in pressure of, the

pipe24. v Any number ofbaflie members may be employed and the inclination oftheir walls varied to suit conditions. An inclination of approximatelysixty degrees from the horizontal has, however, been found, from actual experience, to be mostefl'ective under ordinary circumstances.

the baffle members are spaced" about four inches apart and with their upper ends liquid in the tank, but I do not wish to, in

any Way, limit myself to any specified numher or" inclination of baffles or any fixed spacing of the same either with respect to reservethe rightto make any changes whatever, within the scope of the appended claims, without in the slightest degree departing from the spirit of my invention. Havingthus described the invention, what is claimedas new is: a 1. In an apparatus'of the class described, a tank open at its upper end, a plurality of concentrically arranged baflle members positioned within the tank, and a feed sole having a concavity in its upper face centrally supportedjinthe upper end of the tank with its upper peripheral edge in thevpla ne of the upper edgeof an adjacent bafile member.

2. In'an'apparatus of the class described, a settling tank open for overflow discharge, a plurality ofconcentrically arranged baffle members mounted in spaced'relation in the tank with their upper ends spaced slightly below the top of the tank, and a feed sole mounted in the tank with its upper face on which picduca it and the latter is therein the accumulator and maybe removed by v 1 in the first and with their upper ends in a described operation, with the exception that water supplied through the Preferably,

about one inch below the surface of the f 'each other or to the surface of the water: In other words, it will be understood that I a level with the upper ends of the bafile members.

3. In an apparatus of the class described,

. a settling tank open for overflow discharge,

a funnel-shaped bafile member secured by its larger end to the upper end of thetank and with its smaller end spaced above the bottom of the tank, a plurality of simil'ar, baiiie members concentrically arranged with? its larger end to the upper end of the tank and with its smallerend spaced above the bottom of-the tank, 'a plurality of similar baiile members concentrically arranged with- 'in the'first and with their upper endsin a;

common plane slightly below the top of the tank, a feed sole supported by the innermost I of said baiiie members, and a pulp supply" pipe arranged to discharge on the feed sole.

, 5. In an apparatus of the class described;

a tank open at its upper end, a plurality of concentrically arranged spaced apartfun nelsh'aped -bafllemembers supported in the tank with their upper ends adjacent to the upper end of the tank, andmeans for charging pulp laterally over the upper ends of said baifle members.

6. In an apparatus of the class described,

a settling tank open at its upper end for overflow discharge andclosed at its lower end by an accumulator, alfeed sole centrally supported in the upper end of the tank and slightly below the surface when the tankis filled with a fluid, said feed sole being provided in its upper face with an annular channel arcuate in section, and a plurality of baflle members concentrically arranged about the feed sole with their upper edges" -substantially in the plane thereof.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a tank open at its upper end, a funnelshaped baille member secured by its larger end to the upper edge of the tank and with its smaller' end spaced above the bottom of the tank, means for supplying water under pressure to' the ,tank above the level of the smaller end'of ,said baflle member, and a plurality of funnel-shaped baflle members concentrically arranged within the first bafflejmember;

8. In an apparatus of the class described, atank open for overflow discharge, means for filling the tank with a fluid, means for radially distributing pulp over the surface Y a tank open for overflowdischarge, means for filling'the tank with a fluid, means for radially distributingpulp over thesurface of the fluid contained in the tank, and a plurality of concentrically arranged baflie mem bers positioned in the tank with their upper ends slightly below the surface, the opposite end ofeach' baflle member. extending to a lower level than the baflle member 10, I a tank, a funnel-shaped baffle member secured by its larger end to the upper edge of which it encircles. I

the tank and with its smaller end spaced above the bottom of the tank, a feed sole disposed centrally in the upper end of the tank, means for admitting liquid under pressure to the tank at a level intermediate v the ends of the bafile member, whereby a water sealed air chamber is provided between *the wall "of the tank and the upper portion,

of the baffle member, and a plurality of 'adbaflle members concentrically disposed Within ditional, .spaced the first bai fie member.-

11. In an apparatus of theclass described, a tank, a funnel-shaped baffle member 'secured by its larger end to the upper edge of the tank and with its smaller end spaced a level intermediate the member, whereby a water sealed air chamber is provided between the wall of the tank above the bottom of the tank, means for admitting liquid under pressure to the tank at ends of the baflle and the upper portion of the bafile'member,

and a plurality of'additiqnal, spaced bafile members concentrically disposed Within the cured by its larger end to mitting liquid underpressure to the tank at a level intermediate the endsof the baffle bafile memb the corresponding end of 11 an apparatus of the class described,

its upper the tank.

member, whereby'a water sealed air chamber is provided between the wall of the tank and theupper portion of the baflie member, aplurality of additional, spaced baffle members concentrically disposed within the first battle member, the upper edges of the latter ers lying in a common plane be low the level of the upper edge of the tank,

and a feed sole positionedccntrally of'the inner baflle member and at upper edges of the, baflle members. I

In an apparatus of the class described,

the level of the atank open at its upper end, a funnelshaped bafiie member secured byits larger end to the upper edge of the tank and with itslsmaller end spaced above the bottom of the tank, means for supplying water under pressure tothe tank'above the level of the smaller end of said bafiie member, and a feed sole-disposed centrally of the tank with face in substantially the plane of the upper edge of'the tank and baflle member, whereby pulp supplied to the sole will be distributed radially in the upper stratum of liquid filling the tank.

114. In an apparatus of the class described, a f tank, a funnel-shaped baffle member secured by its larger end to the upper edge of the tank and with its above the bottom of the tank, means for admittingliquid under pressure to the tank at a level intermediate the ends of the battle member; whereby a liquid sealed air chamber is provided between the wall of the tank and the upper portion of the baflle member,

smaller end spaced and a feed sole disposed centrally in the upper end of the tank with its upper face,

slightly below the level of liquid in the tank when such liquid is overflowing the edge of In testimony whereof I affix signature in presence of two witnesses.

C OURTENA Y DE KALB.

Witnesses:

P. E, BAFFERT, I J.-O. Down.

[nsl 

